THOMASVILLE- The Thomasville-Thomas County Sports Hall of Fame inducted its newest class on Monday evening during their twenty-eighth annual awards banquet. 

Thomasville YMCA CEO Tom Everett welcomed the crowd, thanking the program sponsors, coaches, athletic directors and individuals who had made the night possible. 

He then introduced the Thomasville High School Air Force JROTC, who posted the nation’s colors before Rev. William Collins sang the National Anthem. 

Dr. Paul Bullard of First Baptist Church provided the Invocation. 

Guests were then treated to a delicious dinner.

Following dinner, Everett named the 2022-23 Bill Raney Student Athletes of the Year. 

Each school’s athletic director nominates both a male and female athlete who have made outstanding contributions to his and her team, while displaying strong character, leadership and community involvement. 

“These young people are tremendous representatives of their schools,” Everett said. “They are leaders on their teams and leaders in their school and community. They excel on and off the field and their names have been engraved on plaques for all to see at the YMCA.” 

Everett first called upon Kendall Boggs and Destin Moore, who were named Brookwood School’s Student Athletes of the Year. 

Boggs is a three-sport athlete, competing in softball, basketball and track, while Moore is involved in football and track. 

Moore broke the single-season football record, and currently is on track to have back to back 1,000 yard receiving years. 

With a tremendous round of applause, Everett then introduced Thomas County Central’s Athletes of the Year, I’Keyera Hill and Campbell Smith. 

Hill is a standout runner on the Yellow Jacket track team and has made it to state for the 4×800 relay and 4×100 relay. Smith can be found on the football or soccer field. When not there, he is heavily involved in the community, even helping register others to vote at the polls on Voting Day. 

Thomasville High School’s Athletes of the Year were Payton Harrell and Brycen Jones. 

Harrell competes in cross country, volleyball and soccer, where she is considered a “team first” player. 

Jones is a highly decorated golfer. He recently set the course record at Glenn Arven Country Club and is ranked fifth for golf in the class of 2023. 

Concluding the Student Athletes of the Year, Everett named Jana Pastorek and Jason Piurowski the recipients for Thomas University. 

With that, Everett turned over the microphone to Randy Young to introduce the first Thomasville-Thomas County Sports Hall of Fame inductee. 

To be considered for the Hall of Fame, inductees must be at least 40 years of age, be a current or past participant, coach, referee or trainer and made exceptional contributions to sports or served as a positive role model to those around them. 

This year’s athletes did just that. 

Herbert Butler was a multiple sport star in football, basketball, baseball and tennis at Brookwood School. 

In basketball, he was named All-Region three times and All-State twice. He would eventually go on to play basketball at Berry College after a short time at FSU under Bobby Bowden. 

Butler was unable to attend the event. However, his mother received his award on his behalf. 

“He wants to thank the Board, the Hall of Fame, and his parents more importantly,” a friend said on behalf of Butler. “He said that to be considered for this is just an incredible honor.” He also thanked the people of Thomasville. Butler said he has spent his life traveling to places such as India, the far east and the United Kingdom, but there will never be another place like Thomasville, because of the people who reside in it. 

“Sometimes I think it’s only when you’re away that you realize how truly special this place is,” he recounted. 

The audience agreed with a round of applause, before introducing the second inductee, who makes Thomasville a special place to be, Richard W. Cook. 

Cook served as a team manager for the state and national championship Thomasville Bulldog team in 1974 and 1975. He has since been a part of organizing reunions for the 1973 state champions and been an integral part of the  Bulldog chain crew. 

Cook recounted that he had been involved in sports since a young age, but when he was chosen for his middle school basketball team, it motivated him. 

“From that day forward, I tried to do the best in everything I do,” he said. 

Cook joked that even when trying his best, accidents were bound to happen, such as mixing in a pink t-shirt with the team’s white t-shirts and jock straps on laundry day, but he always put his best foot forward. 

He concluded by thanking the Board of Directors for inducting him into the Hall of Fame and telling them how much he enjoyed being inducted. 

Dondell Green was the third inductee of the evening. 

Green was an integral part of the first-ever state championship football team for TCC in 1992, when the team beat undefeated Peach County 14-13. 

Green would go on to play at Georgia Southern, where he became a part of the Eagles’ Southern Conference Championship Team. 

Green recalled his road to the state championship, and how it was a bumpy one, but he knew nothing was impossible without God. 

Green said his mom moved the family when he was in middle school, but he felt God tugging at his heart and telling him they had to return to TCC, where he would help them get a championship and allow Green to get a college scholarship. Green said he told his mother this, and the Lord must’ve spoken with her also, because they returned, only for Green to break his leg the first year back and go 1-9 the next year. 

“I’m sitting here thinking did I hear from God or did I hear from the devil,” Green joked. 

However, it was all a part of God’s plan, and once Green aligned himself with God’s plan, the rest was history. 

Green continues to work in God’s name with his mission, Joshua’s Promise and gave all the glory to God for all of the blessings, including the induction on Monday evening. 

Thomasville High School basketball coach Benjamin F. Tillman, Jr. was then inducted. 

Tillman has been coaching at THS since 2007, where he has amassed a 317-100 record, playing in the state championships twice and winning in 2018. 

Tillman attributes all of his wins to something his mother once said, “To thine own self be true.” 

“I’ve got to be true to myself first, before I can demonstrate what truth is to someone else,” he said. 

Tillman said he found that truth by watching the best of the best and accepting that a kid from the south side could be someone amazing. 

“For all of you that supported me, that came out to the games, thank you,” he said. “Thank you for giving Ben Tillman Jr. an opportunity to coach your kids and an opportunity to represent Thomas County, not just in the Hall of Fame, but in this community.” 

Tillman has since poured in that same self-love and confidence into every student he coached, making sure 100% of the senior basketball players graduated high school during his tenure. 

With a round of applause for Tillman’s contributions, Jason Hurst was then introduced and inducted. 

Hurst was a standout athlete in football, basketball and baseball at Brookwood School. He initially played baseball at Jacksonville University, before transferring to Georgia Southern, where he had a .380 career batting average, second in Georgia Southern history. He eventually went on to sign with the Red Sox, playing in the minor and independent leagues for five years, before opening Hard Knocks of Dothan. 

Hurst attributed all of his success to his team. 

“Every great player has a good team, and I’ve always had a great team and a lot of support, most importantly my parents,” he said. 

Hurst also thanked Danny Copeland, who he trained under for multiple years. 

“I always go back to my training with Danny, who had a tremendous impact in my life,” Hurst shared. “He always explained to me it’s not personal, you have to run this number or not.” 

That mentality is what allows Hurst to be able to coach and help young, developing athletes today. 

Laurie Bobo Young was the final inductee of the evening. 

In high school, Young led the THS Lady Bulldog Basketball team to the State Semifinals her sophomore year and the Elite Eight her Junior Year. She went on to attend Shorter College, where she led the team in rebounds, before moving back to Thomasville with her husband to coach 8U basketball at the YMCA. 

“That is what I feel like my biggest contribution is: the opportunities that I’m giving to kids, because somebody gave me those opportunities a long time ago,” she concluded. “I was born into a family that loved sports; it was a no-brainer that I was probably going to like to play something, but my family didn’t teach me to compete; they taught me to love.” 

Young’s love for her players, especially at the youngest level, has led her to winning the YMCA’s first ever 8U Georgia Parks and Recreation Association State Championship. 

With that conclusion, the night’s ceremony ended, as all inductees were celebrated.